Grading and excavating apparatus.



C. J. VAN DGREN.

GRADING AND EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY?, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9, w18.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

du. Nm

l BY @wfm u I@ A TTORNE Y.

WITNESS:

0.1. VAN DOREN.

GRADING AND EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 7| 1917.

Patented Apr. 9, R918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY fida ATTORNEY.

CHESTER J'. VAN DOREN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GRADING AND EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application led May 7, 1917. Serial N o. 167,097.

4To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, CHESTER J. VAN DonEN. a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading and Excavating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.v

My invention relates to grading and excavating apparatus, and objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus of this character which may be employed to advantage in building railroads or other roads; in excavating for basements for buildings, etc.; which is inexpensive to manufacture; and easy to transport and set up for operation. Y

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character in whichl a minimum of driving power and manual labor is required in its operation.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, and in order that said invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawv ings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of that por tion of the apparatus embodying the driving power. v

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts disclosed by Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a continuation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a continuation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a hook and associated parts employed in carrying out the invention.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line VI-VI of Fig. 5, with some of the parts removed.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a main cable l, adapted to extend over the ground to be operated upon, and the ends of which are, preferably, connected together, so that said cable can run continuously 1n one direction while the apparatus 1s 1n operation.

2 designates a sheave, and 3 a pair of drums spaced'a considerable ydistance from Y said lsheave and around whichytheV main cable 1 is adapted to operate.

One ofthe drums isfdriven by .gear wheels 4 and 5, the

.face of the turn-table 7 on a level with the ground, so that the bottom ofthe grading implements 10, can readily pass upon and oft' of said turntable while the apparatus is in operation. An incline approach 11 is provided for the oncoming implements 10 to obviate any possibility of their strikingy against the edge of the turn-table andrthus possibly damaging the apparatus, As the empty Scrapers 10 pass upon the turntable 7, it coacts with the main cable l in carrying said Scrapers around the sheave 2 and the sleeve 8 without damage to any of the contacting parts.

`In its passage to and from the drums 3, the main cable 1 runs around idlers 15, 16, and 17. The idlers 15 and 17 are mounted at the upper ends of independently adjust-I able masts 18, having ball-and-sockets 19, supported on the framework 21 carrying the drums 3. Said masts 18 are supported in upright or any of their adjusted positions by guys 22.

One or more depression sheaves 23 are interposed between the drums 3 and the turntable 7, so that the grading implements passing from said turn-table will be forced downf wardly into loose dirt and stones to be readapted to hook over either side of the main cable 1 and be .engaged by any of the abutments 28, fixed. at intervals to said'main cable. l

v.In `order that each hook 27 can be readily -released vfrom the `engaging abutment 2,8

'thescraperswereperinitted to upon the 150 is provided. Y It desired, the set Aof idlers f '41 adjacent the drums 3 can be driven there.-

from, to insure their traveling with the Scrapers. However, the Scrapers can be 'operated at an expenditure of 'but little power even if the carrying `'cables 40' remain stationary, astrictiondue to the 'lugs running "ov'er said cables isl muchless than if ground. "*l/Vh'en `dirt and other material is to be dumped over anembankment, vsuch as A, Fig.'k 1,' an operator stands between "the two sides'o the main cable l atfa 'point adja- 'fceiit' Vsaid embankment, and clamps the ,lever 30 'o v'er' the YhookY 27 o't' theinitial loaded scraper 1'0, as it approaches 'the embankment. ,'rhen after 'Saidscraperims been" dumped at the embankment' the Voperator releases-its respective hook 27 from' the' outgoing side ofthe'main 'cable' 1, by an upward pull upon tron'i'the hook 27, whichisffapplied .to the returning side of the mainV cable l," so that the Iempty'scraper' lwill bev carried bac-kv `tor 4another 'loa'.d.I "The toreg'oing'operation is carried out with each succeeding'sfcraper. hus'mfit willV be understood that theonly work performed by the operator is to' dump each scraper, and releaseea'eh hook 27 `trr'irn `-the'outgoing side ot the' main cableVv 1" and applyit' tof-the returning sideo'tI said main Cable'.

i' ln" first starting to build up the enb'an-kment A., the masts 18 are tipped'eith'er torward or backward to lower the idlers l5 and'l'and'that portion ot the main cable l passing over vsaid idlers, sothat" it will not t'e'n'dto litt the scrapers fromv 'the ground. legs the embankment increases in height, the masts '18 are adj ustedv toward a vertical position from time to time to maintain both sides ot Vthe cable l1in substantially a parallelrelation to the embankment.V It it'is desired to-'widen the embankment, the masts 18 are 'tipped laterally" in 'opposite directions Vto vspread the two ysides ot the main cable`1 apart.' Erm the foregoing description it isrobvious'that'I lia've'fprovid'ed an apparatus 'requi'ringff but a minimum 'amount Vof manual labor and driving power, and which is A well naeneeo form of my invention, reserve Vthe right to make such changes in the construction, proportion, and arrangement ot parts as propf erly .tall within .the spirit and scope ot the Claims.' f. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim Vand desire yt0 Secure by Letters Patent,is': V1. In an apparatus ot the character described, alsuitabledriving power, an endless main cable actuated by said driving ,power 'and-adapted to extend over the gro'ndto be opera-ted .upon,means located a suitable distance from the driving power and around i which said main cable travels, a4r suitable grading implement' detacha-blyLconnected to the mainvi cable 'and adapted .to-.be ydrawn 'in opposite ydirections thereby, and endlessc'a- Ybles on each ot .the respective lsides ,of .the

main cable and'uponwhichsaid grading implement travels. A

2. In a ,device` of the type set forth, an endlessmain cable, means toidrive same, a

Agrading implement, means to connect said .implement to I.the main cable, forward Aand rearward-ly laterally extending lugs on the outer sides ot .the implement, and'a pair of .endless cables arranged on the respective sides of the main cable and' each .having anA upper course upon'which vsaid lugs engage.

3. ln a device of the type set torth,a`an endless main cable, means to drivesame, a grading implement, abutments on thef main with said abutment, means ,to connect the rhoc'k tofthe implement, VIa pair *ot 'horizon- .tally disposedfspaced resilient `clamping jaws secured to the hook, and aflever having V one `cable,- a 'hookengageable over Vthe Icable and end remoyably 'held in the space between said jaws and having its opposite end eX- 4ftei'i'ding beyondv the'hok so as to be'raised and therewith 'raise the "hook up .out ofengagement with the cable. J

l combination 'with an endless cable, means to drive same, an abutment on the able, a grading implement,'a hook connected to said lmp'lementf ftorengagement with the cable'y and rabutment, memberV :for raising the hook'upo'ut oi engagement withtlie'cav-4 ble and abutment, and means to connect'y the member tothe hook to cause the member when moved in 'one 'direction to move the hook out of' engagement with the c`a'ble,.and`

when moved in aV second direction to allow ot instantaneous disengagement ot the membenl-'rom the hook.

t 5.13m" combination with an endless cable, means to drive same, anc abutment-on' the cable, a grading implement, a hook conneet' l edito said implement for` engagement with the cable and'abutment,1a memberfor raising; the hook up out'of epgagement .ivitlf the and abutment,"andspifing" jaws vseured at onefendfte'tlgelzloclV-LM erigglg upper and lower parts of said member to In testimony whereof I affix my signature, @110W the rleI-'lbr to liii;l the hok bybraisin the presence of two witnesses.

111g one en o tle mem er, sai jaws eing arranged to allow the member to be dsen- CHESTER J' VAN DOREN' gaged therefrom and engaged therewith by Witnesses:

merely moving the member horizontally F. G. FISCHER,

away from the opposite ends of the jaws. L. J. FISCHER.

Ccpies of this patent may ne obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

